Labour has been handed a huge victory after the uptake in zero emission vehicles spiked following the debut of the Electric Car Grant.
According to research, eligible electric models have experienced substantial growth in platform views since the incentive was revealed in early August.
Data from Autotrader reported that visits to its new car section climbed seven per cent compared to the previous month and jumped 15 per cent from the same period last year.
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This surge also coincides with buyers preparing for the latest registration plate changes, which will take place on September 1.
Auto Trader saw an increased interest in electric vehicles following the grant announcement
|ALPINE/JAECOO/RENAULT/NISSAN
The grants, ranging from £1,500 to £3,750, were announced earlier this month, with several models priced under £37,000 eligible for the discount.
Among the standout performers which qualify for the grant, Renault's Scenic E-Tech witnessed a 47 per cent boost in advertisement views within a week of the grant announcement. The Vauxhall Mokka Electric also benefited, recording an 18 per cent rise in consumer interest during the same timeframe.
The French manufacturer's Renault 4 model also captured attention with a 21 per cent increase in views, while Citroen's electric lineup demonstrated particularly strong performance.
The e-C3 Aircross led Citroën's surge with an 80 per cent week-on-week jump in advertisement views, followed by the standard e-C3 at 46 per cent. The rise comes despite the mass recall currently underway for the Citroen C3 (second generation, 2009-2019) and the DS3 (both Citroen and DS Automobiles versions, 2009-2019).
Citroen e-C3 Aircross has seen an 80 per cent week-on-week jump in advertisement views
| STELLANTISOther qualifying vehicles showed varied levels of consumer engagement with Vauxhall's Frontera Electric, matching the Renault 4's 21 per cent growth. At the same time, the Grandland Electric and Corsa Electric each achieved five per cent increases.
Alpine's sporty A290 model attracted 25 per cent more views following its eligibility confirmation. The Nissan Ariya recorded a modest three per cent rise, though its sibling model, the Micra, had not yet launched at the time of data collection.
A significant milestone has been reached in the UK automotive market as Jaecoo's 7 model claimed the top spot for most sought-after new vehicle on Autotrader. This marks the first occasion a Chinese-branded car has achieved this distinction on the platform.
The compact crossover SUV commanded a 5.5 per cent share of all enquiries during August, outperforming established favourites. The Range Rover Sport followed with 4.4 per cent of enquiries, while the Volkswagen Golf secured 3.2 per cent.
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Land Rover overtook BMW to become the most popular new car brand overall, capturing 12.1 per cent of total enquiries, while BMW fell to second place with 9.3 per cent.
Ian Plummer, Commercial Director at Autotrader, said: "Since the first car models were approved for Government discounts this month, consumers have been flocking to our platform to check out for themselves the various vehicles they could make big savings on.
"With other manufacturers also introducing their own 'grants' to compete with eligible cars, this has had a positive effect on the new electric market - and in particular affordable EVs."
While certain manufacturers await Government grant approval, several brands have launched their own customer incentives to maintain competitiveness.
The Jaecoo J7 has seen a huge uptake in consumer interest
| OMODA AND JAECOOChinese manufacturer Leapmotor pioneered this approach in mid-July, offering £3,750 off its C10 and £1,500 off its T03 models, resulting in advertisement views soaring by 62 per cent and 124 per cent respectively between July and August.
GWM followed suit with a £3,750 reduction on its Ora 03, generating a 15 per cent monthly increase in views. MG retained its position as the leading electric brand, capturing 11.4 per cent of enquiries, with its S5 model remaining the most popular EV at 6.9 per cent of enquiries.
The manufacturer recently introduced its own subsidy programme covering both the S5 and MG4 models. Skoda secured second place amongst electric brands with 9.2 per cent of enquiries, followed by Renault at 7.5 per cent.
The broader market data revealed that eight of the ten most sought-after new electric vehicles in August were priced below the £37,000 grant threshold. This demonstrated a strong consumer appetite for more affordable electric options.